Any time you take your car further afield, you'll probably find yourself on a motorway.
Every modern car is more than capable of cruising at 70mph, but some models make it feel effortless, while others feel a little outside their comfort zone.
We've picked out our 10 favourite cars for motorway driving, across a range of brands and price points. All have stable handling and comfortable suspension so you can go for miles without breaking a sweat. Most are available as great-value nearly new and used cars from Motorpoint.
Audi A5
Audi's been experimenting lately with some of its model names. That's why the old A4 saloon and estate, as well as the old A5 coupe and Sportback, have now been consolidated into the new A5 lineup – with your choice of five-door coupe or five-door Avant estate models. As you'd hope, the new model get the brand's latest styling language, plus natty LED headlights with customisable running lights and some of the largest screens you'll find in a modern car. Most importantly, however, the A5's motorway manners are impeccable, with grippy, reassuring handling, hushed refinement and plenty of overtaking power.
Shop used Audi A5 cars or read our Audi A5 review
Skoda Fabia
Small cars aren't always the most comfortable, but the Skoda Fabia does a convincing job of copying the feel of a bigger, more stable car. It shares mechanical parts with the Volkswagen Polo but actually offers more passenger and cargo space than its German sibling. The on-road setup is softer than the Polo too, which doesn't do much for the handling, but does mean the Fabia flows well at speed, with expansion joints and scruffy surfaces filtered out before they make it to your seat. Pick one of the TSI petrol engines for easier overtaking performance.
Shop used Skoda Fabia cars for sale or read our Skoda Fabia review
BMW 5 Series
The latest BMW 5 Series raised some eyebrows when it arrived thanks to its simplified, geometric styling and a footprint that'd somehow grown even bigger than the outgoing 5 Series. While it's true that the new car has lost a little of the athleticism of its predecessors, it's an even better motorway cruiser than ever before, with more grace to the way it handles road bumps and superb refinement at speed. The battery-powered BMW i5 is also an impressive mile-muncher with next-to-no outside noise making it to the cabin and a long 350-mile driving range.
Shop used BMW 5 Series cars or read our BMW 5 Series review
Citroen C5 Aircross
If you need a great motorway car that's also usefully practical, check out the Citroen C5 Aircross. This big French SUV is far from the last word in sporty handling, but Citroen's fitted it with clever suspension tech so it glides over bumps with a level of composure that many pricier cars fail to match. What's more, the cabin is roomy, with a vast boot and three individual rear seats, making the C5 Aircross a superb choice for carrying five. Also consider the mechanically related Vauxhall Grandland if you want a similar experience from a British brand.
Shop used Citroen C5 Aircross cars or read our Citroen C5 Aircross review
Mercedes A-Class
The Mercedes A-Class takes many of the talents from the brand's bigger cars and distills them into a hatchback package that's perfect for UK roads. Take a seat and you're enveloped in a plush, comfortable cabin that's outfitted with the latest tech. The A-Class really seals the deal on the road, however. Even entry-level models come with strong, responsive engines – most of which are connected to slick-shifting automatic gearboxes – and the ride quality could easily fool you into thinking you're driving a luxury car that's twice the price.
Shop used Mercedes A-Class cars for sale or read our Mercedes A-Class review
Renault Austral
It takes a special car to stand out in the hotly contested mid-size SUV class. The Renault Austral is a substantially better car than the Kadjar it replaced. It has a modern, stylish interior, excellent material quality and, most importantly, a soft-yet-stable suspension setup that soaks up the miles. The 200hp full-hybrid setup offers great off-the-line acceleration around town with enough horsepower to pull comfortably to motorway speeds – all with strong fuel economy and without the complexity of recharging.
Shop used Renault Austral cars or read our Renault Austral review
Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai has quietly become a common fixture on British roads, with thousands of examples rolling out the company's Sunderland factory every year. Its popularity is easy to understand, with keen pricing, generous equipment and a calm, composed driving experience. Refinement in the latest car is better than ever, with hushed mild-hybrid petrol engines or the clever e-Power model, which uses a petrol generator with a small battery and powerful-yet-silent electric motor for strong performance without needing to recharge. Older used Qashqais are much more affordable while still offering impressive ride comfort.
Shop used Nissan Qashqai cars for sale or read our Nissan Qashqai review
Citroen C4
A cynic might accuse the Citroen C4 of having an identity crisis. It has proportions that place it somewhere between a family hatchback and a coupe, but a tall ride height and chunky body cladding similar to an SUV. While this setup might not actually infer much off-road ability, it does mean the C4's suspension has a lovely long travel that translates to a sumptuously soft ride quality. The turbo petrol engine has lots of grunt for everyday driving, but the fully electric e-C4 takes the car's refinement to a whole new level. Also consider the C4 X, which retains the C4's lofty ride height but adds a saloon-style boot at the back.
Shop used Citroen C4 cars or read our Citroen C4 review
MG4
Electric cars are no longer restricted to short-range trips and the MG4 is one of the best all-round battery-powered cars we've tried. Despite its VW-Golf-sized footprint, you get passenger space that rivals cars from the class above, and materials that feel a cut above its affordable price point. The ride and handling is really impressive too, with excellent balance, well-judged suspension and zippy electric acceleration. Our all-round pick is the 64kWh Long Range model with up to 281 miles to a charge, but long-distance drivers might prefer the 77kWh Extended Range version with up to 323 miles of range.
Shop used MG4 cars or read our MG4 review
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat has been an obvious choice for motorway driving for many years. Its long body and wheelbase gives the car excellent high-speed stability, while the well-judged suspension expertly cradles the car through undulations and motorway expansion joints. The latest Passat is a larger car than the outgoing model, measuring in at more than 4.9 metres long. That means cavernous space for passengers and a huge 690-litre boot. Drivers who cover big annual mileages might miss the old Passat's diesel engine, but the new car's turbo petrol powertrain still returns respectable economy numbers while sending very little noise into the cabin.
Shop used Volkswagen Passat cars or read our Volkswagen Passat review
Save money on a great motorway cruiser
Browse Motorpoint's huge range of nearly new and used cars for sale, all with thousands off their brand-new prices. For more choices, see our picks for the best used SUVs on sale.
